


Nutcracker Suite

by clgfanfic



Series: Shadow Chasers/X-Files - Little St. Nick [2]
Category: The X-Files
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-03
Updated: 2012-11-03
Packaged: 2017-11-17 15:26:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/553066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clgfanfic/pseuds/clgfanfic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The start of a series, a crossover with Shadow Chasers and X-Files as the partners search for Kris... Kris Kringle.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nutcracker Suite

The anxious knock on her front door forced agent Dana Scully to abandon her book and answer.  Checking through the peep-hole, she was somewhat surprised to find her partner standing outside, fidgeting.

Releasing the deadbolts, she opened the door.  "Mulder?"

He flashed her a quick smile.  "Hi, Scully," he said, shoving his hands into the depths of his pockets.  "Look, I've got, uh, got a lead on an old X-file, and I was wondering—"

 _A lead?_   _We're supposed to be on vacation._   "Which file?"

Mulder gazed off, apparently interested in the holiday decorations that adorned her neighbor's front lawn.

"Mulder?  Which file?"

He glanced back.  "It's rather difficult to explain," he hedged.  "I'll give you the file to read during the flight.  When do you think you can be ready to go?"

"Go?  Mulder—"

"Look, Scully, it's a case I work on every year around this time.  The last few years I haven't been able to turn up any new substantial leads, but this year it's different.  I'd like some backup, though."

"Where are we going?" she asked, opening the door wider so Mulder could enter.

"Arizona," was the taciturn reply.

"Arizona," she repeated with a nod.  Okay, so Mulder had been under some pretty heavy stress the least few months.  Maybe this was just a reaction to that.  "Okay, why don't you tell me a little more while I toss some things into an overnight bag."  She paused, then asked, "It is a short trip, right?"

Mulder nodded.  "Yeah.  Just fly in, check my lead and if it's a wash, we'll head straight back.  I know you have plans for the Holidays."

Dana smiled.  Well, at least his memory wasn't affected.

She headed for her room, Mulder trailing.  He stopped in the doorway, leaning against the frame while she made short work of the packing.

"What kind of lead did you find?" she asked, hoping it might spark more information out of her unusually quiet partner.

"It was the filing of a civil suit."

"Of what nature?"

Mulder looked down the hall.  "I never noticed these photos before.  They're nice.  You take them?"

"Mulder, what kind of case is it?"

"Animal control issue."

She paused.  "Could you be a little more specific?"  _Maybe the recent stress was greater than I thought…_

"Some neighbors got together and sued one resident for having a herd of reindeer in a no-farm animals zone area."

"Reindeer?  Mulder, what exactly is this X-file about?"

"Santa Claus," Mulder muttered.

"Who?"

Mulder met his partner's troubled gaze and repeated defiantly.  "Santa Claus."  Before Scully could say anything, he added, "Look, I know it sounds funny, but this x-file is old, in fact, it's the oldest on record.  And he—"

"He?  Mulder, are you trying to tell me that I'm packing so we can go to _Arizona_ and look for Santa Claus?"

Mulder shuffled.  "Huh, yeah."

"Mulder, you can go right down the street to the local mall and find plenty of Santa's.  Or go rent _Miracle on 34th Street_."

"Scully, don't you understand, I'm talking about the _real_ Santa Claus."

A debate warred in Scully.  Should she humor her obviously stressed-out partner, send him home and call Skinner, or shoot him where he stood?

"Look, I've been tracking the man for years, and he keeps moving, staying one jump ahead of me.  I don't know how he does it.  I really don't.  Maybe he's got inside connections, I don't know, but I know this is the lead I've been waiting for."  He met her completely nonplussed expression.  "Scully, please?"

 _I hate it when he looks so damned hopeful_ , she thought.  Glancing outside, she watched the snow begin to fall.  Arizona…

"Where in Arizona?"

"Scotsdale."

Scotsdale.  That was close to Phoenix.  No snow that far south.

"All right, Mulder, I'll go along, but when we get back I want you to promise me you'll talk to Dr. Jenkins."

"Scully, I don't need to talk to a psychologist.  I'm telling you the truth.  Santa Claus is real."

"Yeah," she breathed, zipping the small bag closed and hefting it onto her shoulder, "and I'm a fairy princess, too…"


End file.
